Happy Birthday, Ran
by Aeyra
Summary: A series of one-shots depicting Ran's birthdays throughout the years, starting from her and Shinichi's first meeting to after his disappearance. This is the start of my birthday present to Pyre. A.K.A. tonsostuff  It's ShinRan, so I hope you enjoy!
1. The First Meeting

*Okay, so this is the start of my present to my friend Pyre, who is my friend on DCW. Her birthday is actually the sixteenth, but I'm planning to release most of it before then. However, I probably won't get the chance to because I don't have much time... TT-TT (and if you're concerned about MSK, well... I haven't finished the next chapter. I'm planning to change it back to first-person. Throw tomatoes at me as you please.) I hope you like it! There will be 14 of these lil' one-shots all revolving around a different theme! Make sure to review! XD*

Part 1: 4th Birthday, First Meeting

"Thanks for inviting us," said Kudo Yuusaku, shaking Kogoro's hand warmly, looking around the small apartment. "Where's the birthday girl?"

"Mom, did I have to come?" whined a tiny four-year old Shinichi, tugging his mom's dress. "There's a mystery on TV tonight!" His blue eyes glistened with fake tears, a skill he had learned from his mother. But she was far past believing them.

"Hush," commanded Yukiko, tapping Shinichi firmly on the head, wiping the moisture from his cheeks with a light pink handkerchief. "You were invited young man, and I expect you to be respectful and gentlemanly. Besides, you can play with Ran-chan."

"Why should I play with someone I don't know?" he protested, clasping his hands together like he was praying, giving the impression of a puppy begging for a treat. "I wanna go home, kaa-chan!"

"Quiet, Shin-chan." She bent down and redid his green tie, tied into a light blue semi-formal shirt. "You should look nice for this. After all, you're meeting a girl."

She giggled, straightening Shinichi's miniature suit. He looked so cute in it, a business professional aspect contrasting with the innocence of childhood. Quite an interesting combination.

They were on the second floor of the Mouri household, the first being the detective office. Festive party decorations were strung generously throughout the hall and in the kitchen. A large banner spanned across a wall above the doors, reading, _Happy 4th Birthday, Ran!_

The sky outside was a darkening blue, dusted with hues of pink and orange as the sun began to sink. Shinichi glanced over his shoulder at the time with an annoyed look on his face, holding onto his mom's hand. The digital numbers read 5:36 P.M. and he fidgeted as he recalled the time of his detective show.7:30 P.M. From his few experiences, he knew parties seldom lasted less than two hours. He was trapped.

_Great. I'm missing my mystery drama, and I have to play with a girl I've never even met_, he thought grumpily, frowning_. This sucks. I was really looking forward to it! I wonder if I can convince kaa-chan to take me home... If tears don't work, then maybe…_

"Kaa-chan, my tummy hurts!" he wailed, clutching his stomach as if in pain, stomping his foot repeatedly against the ground, attracting the attention of the conversing men. "Can we go home? It really, really hurts!"

"If you do have a stomachache, there's no reason we can't take care of it here. Besides, aren't you faking it, Shin-chan?" accused Yukiko, bending down so her eyes were almost level to her son's, glowering at him with suspicion. "Do you really think you can trick a famous actress like me?" He flinched- he had been caught red-handed.

"Shinichi-kun looks as if he doesn't want to stay here," commented Kogoro to Yuusaku as they watched Shinichi and Yukiko start their nuclear war consisting of fiery words thrown back and forth, along with a few gentle hits from the woman. "He seems a little spoiled if you ask me. You shouldn't give him whatever he wants!"

"Well, I'm usually pretty busy writing, so I don't get much time to take care of him. Yukiko likes to let him do whatever he wants; once she even let him drive her car while we were in Hawaii because he asked. I'm surprised they weren't killed." He rolled his eyes- his son and wife were filled with silly antics, and having her raise him was only making it worse. But he didn't mind- it added surprise and fun to his stressful life as a highly acclaimed writer.

"Seems he definitely inherited her more feisty side," observed Kogoro, scratching his chin, empty of stubbles. "And he looks just like you as a kid. But he's shorter, isn't he?" He peered down as if to calculate the boy's height. Unfortunately, his statement was heard by the now more-than-irritated child.

"Short?" piped Shinichi indignantly, looking away from his mother in a flash of fury. "I'm not short!"

"He refuses to admit it," explained Yuusaku, grinning widely at Kogoro. "He says-"

"I'm perfectly normal, you guys just like to make fun of me! See?" Shinichi stood as straight as he could on his tippy-toes, but still couldn't reach the height of his mom's hips.

"That's what I'm talking about!" exclaimed Yuusaku, laughing at his child's boisterous denial.

"But isn't my Shin-chan so cute?" asked Yukiko, suddenly switching to a more playful demeanor, on her knees hugging Shinichi- instantly the loving, fawning mother once more. "Isn't he?" She held him up, and he kicked to try to make her release her grip.

"Gerroff me!" cried Shinichi, his groan muffled by his mother's arm, attempting to pry himself apart from her. "Let me go!"

At that moment, steps were heard from the stairway outside, and the door burst open with a loud "Taidaima!" A pretty little girl with short brown hair came in panting, totting a box that was nearly too big for her to carry. Her blue-violet eyes shined with enthusiasm, and she smiled. "Tou-chan!" she crowed, running forwards to her dad. "Me and kaa-chan got the cake! It's the chocolate one with strawberries all over it! Doesn't that sound good? It looked so nice I just _had_ to get it!"

"It sure does, Ran," answered Kogoro, taking the cake from her hands, then turning to the Kudos. "Our guests are here. This is Kudo Yukiko-chan, Kudo Yuusaku, and their son, Kudo Shinichi-kun." He gestured to each in order, and Yukiko and Yuusaku both gave a friendly wave. However, Shinichi looked away, putting his nose in the air with a big, arrogant 'hmmph'!

"Shin-chan, say hello to Ran-chan!" demanded Yukiko, scolding her son for his rude behavior with another gentle slap on the head. Sensing his stubborness, she continued, "It's not that hard to say! It's one word for crying out loud!"

"I don't want to." He glanced towards Ran with contempt in his eyes. "I want to go home and watch TV!"

Before Yukiko could give her impudent son another slap, Ran cut in, smiling. "It's okay, Shinichi-kun doesn't have to say hi if he doesn't want to! Shinichi-kun, we have a TV too! We can watch your show together if you want!" she suggested enthusiastically, wanting to please her guest. She didn't care if he was rude- she didn't have many playmates, seeing she was an only child and didn't go to preschool.

"I want to go home to watch it," complained Shinichi, brattishly sticking out his tongue, completely unlike the gentleman he was dressed as. "Like I said, I don't want to be here."

"Shinichi," reprimanded his dad in a cold hard voice, ice and venom outlining each word. "Apologize now."

"Why should I?" asked Shinichi, avoiding the angry glares of his mother and father, instead staring at the confused Ran.

"Stop acting obnoxious, Shin-chan!" shouted Yukiko. "We are staying at this party and you will play nicely with Ran-chan, do you understand?"

"Yuusaku," whispered Kogoro, leaning over towards his friend, assessing the situation at hand. "If your son wants to leave so badly, it's fine-"

"No. He always acts too spoiled. We have to set the limits." He stared down disappointedly at his son, a frown on his face. "You can skip that show for once. Now be nice!"

"Fine," answered Shinichi, though his tone was obviously less than half-hearted. With a sigh, he faced the girl. "Ran-san, what do you want to do?"

Ran put her pointer finger on her chin for a moment, thinking. In a moment, she replied, hitting her fist to her open palm, "How about a video game? I have a couple of really fun ones! Do you like Gomera and Kamen Yaiba?"

"I've seen them before," he mumbled, trying to hide a bit of excitement at the thought of the games. He had wanted them, but his dad had refused him those as well... Video games rotted his brain, and he needed his brain to be a detective, but it didn't stop him from wanting to play. "I guess I'll try them."

"Yatta!" cheered Ran. "You'll have tons of fun, Shinichi-kun!" She took Shinichi's hand and started pulling him with her to her room, the former just maintaining balance as he was dragged across the hardwood floor.

Shinichi looked around the pale pink room; saw the tiny bed, the stuffed animals, the TV, and the large window. The moon outside was shining brightly- a beautiful crescent. As Ran set up the system, he examined the titles she had mentioned.

"Which do you wanna play, Shinichi-kun?" she asked, eagerly watching him look back and forth between the two in a moment of indecision.

"The Gomera game." He handed her the silver disc which she readily inserted into the drive.

She handed him a controller, along with a question. "What do you like to do, Shinichi-kun?"

"Huh? Me? Well, I like mysteries and detective stuff. I also like soccer a lot. But Gomera is one of my favorite movies! I've watched all of them," he explained, blushing as Ran giggled. "What's so funny?"

"My tou-chan's a police detective!" she replied, a childish grin on her face. "I like Gomera a lot too! I like karate and I go to lessons once a week! I'm a yellow belt!"

"What's a yellow belt?" Shinichi inquired curiously, forgetting his initial reluctance in the face of this curious girl.

"It's the second level. The first one's white belt. How often do you practice soccer?" she returned, wondering inside if he liked it as she loved karate.

"I play with my tou-chan about two or three times a week. He's good at goalie, but that's just because he's taller than me. When I get bigger, I'll score every time!" he declared, pressing buttons on the controller as the game started with its jingling show tunes.

"Do you think you could teach me how to play sometime?" asked Ran, causing Shinichi to blush again for reasons unknown to him. She paid no mind to it- what did it matter if his face went slightly crimson?

"Okay..." he mumbled, suddenly staring intensely at the screen as if trying to find a pixel that was out of place.

Yukiko watched the scene intently from a crack in the door, and smiled as she watched their steady progress. "I knew this would happen!" she announced to Yuusaku. "Look how happy our Shin-chan is!"

"Hmm? Is your son feeling better?" questioned Eri, joining Yukiko at the door. "Looks like they're having a good time," she commented after sneaking a peek at the happy duo.

"Eri!" shouted Kogoro from the kitchen, the acrid stench of charred fish emanating through the apartment. "The food is burning! You have to watch it!"

"Oh dear," said Eri, rushing back to the stove, and opening the lid to find what could only be defined as a catastrophe. "I wish I weren't so terrible at cooking; we usually get take-out, but since it was Ran's birthday I wanted to cook..."

"I'll help you, Eri!" offered Yukiko kindly, stepping over next to her friend. "I can cook a decent meal."

"Thanks, Yukiko," she replied, visibly relaxing when Yukiko took out the fish and started cutting off the blackened parts.

_Half an Hour Later..._

"Shinichi-kun! Ran! Dinner's ready!" called Kogoro from the dining room. The two children ran happily from Ran's room, chattering pleasantly.

"I'm going to beat you in the next game!" said Shinichi, sticking his tongue out playfully at Ran, rushing to the dinner table.

"No you're not, Shinichi!" she countered, chasing after him with her hands outstretched, making it seem as if they were playing tag. "I'm gonna win again!"

"Did you two have a good time together?" asked Yukiko when the two settled down in their seats.

"Yup! Me and Ran played 'Gomera'. It was fun, but I always lost," complained Shinichi lightheartedly, looking over at Ran.

"It's because he sucks at it!" she explained, causing another small, innocent argument with Shinichi which basically consisted of 'Will so!' and 'Will not's.

"So, Shin-chan," started Yukiko, a devious grin on her face. "Have you said sorry yet?"

"Sorry, Ran," he apologized, his voice hardly audible as he spoke.

"Ran?" repeated his dad, taking notice of the lack of honorifics. "You two got pretty close, didn't you? Switching from 'Ran-san' to 'Ran' in just half an hour!"

"Baro!" answered Shinichi, a pink tinge on his cheeks. "It's just easier to say because it's shorter!"

"Sure, sure," said his mom, rolling her eyes and laughing. Ran watched cluelessly, unaware of his mother's allusions.

Dinner was an even greater time for the little pair; they recommended their favorite foods, giggled when the other spilled their drink and meal, and continued their conversation. The adults continued to converse about them, occasionally butting in and asking them questions. It was clear that they had to arrange another playdate.

After they finished their dinner, the cake was brought out, lit by four bright candles. The top was covered in thin sheets of dark brown chocolate and deep red strawberries, the side smeared with generous amounts of icing. No wonder Ran had chosen it.

"Make a wish, Ran," said Eri as her daughter blew out the dancing orange flames. Ran closed her eyes, and clasped her hands together, clearly thinking hard.

"Happy birthday, Ran!" crowed Shinichi as they bit into the rich chocolate. The rest of the party was just as joyful, ending with the two falling asleep, leaning in on each other.

The present that had been intended for Ran lay forgotten in Shinichi's lap, but the former didn't care. She had gotten a greater gift than a toy; she had won a friend. And as for her wish? _I wish Shinichi and I will be friends forever…_

_*_Is my ShinRan convincing or is that not enough? Well, can't make it all that sappy seeing they're four year olds. *laughs* Imagine _four_ year olds kissing. How OOC. Anyways, please leave a review!*


	2. Into the Haunted House

*Okay, I announce Part 2! I know that haunted houses shouldn't be open in May, and some of the details are off. But I've never been in a haunted house before, so forgive me please. I attempted research, but couldn't really find that much. Please review at the end!*

**Azu-chan: They are, aren't they... I need to get working... I shall spend the rest of the day working on your fic... Forgive me if it's not done on time... Thanks for liking it!**

**Pyre: I'm too lazy to type up your and Chelsea's usernames. *laughs* I'm happy you like your present. Now I just have to finish twelve more. *inward groan* It's not that I don't enjoy it, it's hard. Thanks for the review!**

**Yuhi: In my head, I was playing the part of movie 8 where Conan is jumping up and down and acting like a complete spoiled brat. Thanks for the compliment! I hope you'll continue reading!**

**mochi1412: I thought of the idea as a birthday present to Pyre (tonsostuff) so the idea is probably not that awesome seeing all I did was just take my scenario. Is a couple of days soon enough an update? Thanks for reviewing! I hope this ShinRan is just as good!**

**Sayomi: Thanks! I hope you'll find this just as cute! **

**Part Two: 5****th**** Birthday, Into the Haunted House **

"Kaa-chan!" whined Shinichi from the back, looking like he was just about to explode from excitement, jumping and up and down in his carseat. "Drive faster already! Ran said we should have been there five minutes ago!"

"Shin-chan, Shin-chan," she sighed, shaking her head in mock disappointment. "You must learn to always be fashionably late! It's a skill of a gentleman! Besides, we're here!" She stopped the car, pointing to a creepy, ominous looking house a couple hundred feet off. "Is that the ghost house you and Ran-chan were talking about?"

"Yeah!" he exclaimed, opening his door and hopping out, admiring the building from where he stood. "It looks exactly like it did on the brochures! See, there's a broken window, and it looks so _old_! I can't wait to go in!"

"Do you guys even know what to expect from places like this? Didn't your brochure say '_Not recommended for children under 10'_?" asked Yuusaku, knowing from past experiences that this kind of place wasn't for little kids like his son and his friend. Last Halloween, the pair had been frightened by a ghost costume that had included a bloody mask.

"Ran and I can handle it! We watched a scary movie together yesterday and we thought it was awesome!" His parents realized it would be pointless to mention that the movie was rated 'G' and it had merely been a cartoon ghost chase. Even if they did, their son would be much too stubborn to listen.

"If you say so, Shin-chan," said Yukiko, rolling her eyes, following Shinichi as he ran across the dirt parking lot to where a little girl was standing with her parents.

"Shinichi!" she called, waving to them as they approached. She was dressed in a light violet dress, and her hair now reached her shoulders, the color of dark caramel. Her eyes were shining with happiness as Shinichi bowled right into her.

"Ran!" he panted as he got back up, rubbing patches of light brown dirt off of his clothing. "I'm finally here!"

"I can see that you baka," she replied, laughing as he scratched the back of his head in slight embarrassment. "Ready for the ghosts?"

"You bet I am!" He showed her a small backpack he had brought with him, and revealed its numerous contents. "I brought a flashlight, a butterfly net, a jar, some snacks, a drink, and a lucky charm!" He smiled as he swung a little Sherlock Holmes keychain around on his pointer finger, letting the sun's light bounce off of it in brightly-colored rays.

"Why did you bring the butterfly net and the cage?" asked Ran, a puzzled look on her face. "What are you going to do with them?"

"We're gonna catch the ghosts!" he explained, taking out the net, a mere plastic circle with thin, white plastic mesh covering one end of it. "I watched a TV show later to research it and it said if you use a net, you can catch a ghost! And then I'll put it in a jar and keep it!"

"Um- Shinichi," started his father, hesitating as he watched their eager back-and-forth conversation about their plans. "I don't think you can-"

"That's not such a good idea!" cut in Yukiko, winking deviously at the two. "The ghosts might get really mad and kill you!"

"K-kill," stuttered Ran, suddenly flinching in fear, hiding behind Shinichi. She whispered into his ear, "Your kaa-chan is joking, right? The ghosts aren't really going to kill us, are they?"

"I-I don't think so," he replied, voice shaky as well. He had read a lot of stories about ghosts who murdered people because they were taking revenge, but even though his dad told them they were entirely fiction, he still believed they had at least an inkling of truth in them. Expression becoming more serious, he faced his mom, "Kaa-chan, stop joking around!"

"Are you scared, Shin-chan?" she giggled, hand covering her mouth to keep her from laughing further. Yuusaku placed his hand on her shoulder, but she pushed it away, murmuring, "It's only a prank! Just play along with it! It'll make it more fun for us grown-ups!"

"No way!" denied Shinichi vehemently, suddenly moving into a defensive position, Ran safely behind him. "We're not scared, right, Ran?" The little girl behind him slowly nodded, going along with her friend. "We're going to catch those ghosts! Just watch and see!"

The adults laughed at their naivety, how they believed they were so much stronger than they really were. Of course, they took great care to make sure Shinichi didn't see it- he always took off in such a rant if anyone made fun of him in any way or form. "Then let's go, shall we?" inquired Yukiko, motioning towards the house, where screams suddenly erupted from the inside, causing Shinichi and Ran to flinch. "Make sure you let us see the ghosts after you're done!"

"Six please," said Kogoro, taking 1800 yen out of his pocket and placing it on the table.

"Are you sure your children will be okay?" asked the attendant, warily staring down at the children who were hardly even able to reach the height of the table. "It's highly recommended that they don't in- I wouldn't want to scar them for life." The tone was joking, but there was definitely a serious air to it. "We have some pretty scary things here."

"We're brave enough!" protested Shinichi, jumping in order to attempt to make eye connection with the man. "I bet I won't even scream or _anything_! I'm gonna catch the ghosts!"

"The ghosts here aren't for catching," he explained, trying to calm down the toddler. "We would appreciate it if you left them well alone. You might break part of the set."

"Aww…" whined Shinichi, putting his net and jar back into his bag. "And I wanted to do that so badly. I guess we can just watch them, right Ran?"

"Yup!" she answered, more than slightly relieved that she wouldn't have to accompany her friend on their wild ghost chase. For some reason the mere thought made her shiver. She didn't like the ghosts in movies- how much worse would their real counterparts be?

"Well then, enjoy your stay!" announced the attendant, opening the door into utter darkness. "There are lights on the ground that'll lead you to the first scare." Small dots of white lined the floor, becoming fainter along the way. "If you want to leave at any time, there are several doors marked 'Exit'. Have fun!"

When they entered, the door slammed behind them with a heavy _thud!_, locking them in the shadows. Ran whimpered, but Shinichi's hand wrapped around her comforted her, assuaging part of her fear. "Come on, Ran!" he whispered. "Let's get ahead of our parents so we won't have to wait for them!"

They took off into the inky black, like the curtain of night, charging right into a wet, sticky puddle that smelled like salt. "Shinichi, I think I have water on me!" cried Ran, trying to see her friend's face. "Do you?" There was a rustle as the small boy rummaged through his bag, finding a flashlight. When he turned it on, they both recoiled in fear. The 'water' was dark red.

"I-it's blood!" exclaimed Shinichi, collapsing on the ground and almost crawling back. His insatiable curiosity took over for a second, making him wonder out loud, "Where did it come from?"

The yellow light coming from the electric torch explored their surroundings, revealing a bloodied corpse on the sidelines, which, unknown to them, was merely an actor. With a groan, the corpse got up, and approached them slowly, lumbering along on a stump. "Run!" squealed Ran, bowling over Shinichi in their mad scramble to flee.

Once they felt they were a safe distance away, Shinichi realized he'd dropped the flashlight. "This is bad," he told Ran, at least, facing the direction where he thought she was. "Ran? Ran?" The little girl did not respond, instead leaving in him in silence.

_This is bad! Where did Ran go? Did she get captured by that corpse?_ he thought, heart beating with the adrenaline of fear. _I even left kaa-chan and tou-chan behind… They said to follow the lights, right? Maybe Ran followed them…_

Ran heard the footsteps of Shinichi leave her, and words abandoned her as she tried to call out. She tried to get up, but was unable to get fast enough to escape the zombie. Her voice a mere squeak, she feebly lashed out at the actor, crawling away to the nearest space where she deemed safe. It was surrounded on four sides by solid wall, and she wondered how she got into it. She had actually leaped into a wooden box, and was unfortunately to have the lid close onto her. It was too heavy for her to lift by herself, seeing she was hardly tall enough to reach it.

"Shinichi…" she whispered, tears starting to run down her face. "Shinichi, come help me. Tou-chan, kaa-chan, let me out of here. Shinichi…"

Shinichi stumbled blindly through the exhibits, encountering one terror after another, sometimes twice because he'd keep on losing his path. There were bats flying next to him, brushing his hair, his face, his body, blood stained the legs of his pants, monsters stalked his every move, and he seriously regretted ever stepping into the place. Breathing hard, he leaned against what he thought was a wall- hoped was a wall- and rested for a moment.

_Gotta find- gotta find Ran, _he thought, getting back on his feet. _Come on Shinichi! You said you wouldn't be scared! Be brave! You can do this! Ran's probably really scared by now. _He pictured her frightened face, and started running again. _I'm coming for you!_

Yuusaku, Yukiko, Kogoro, and Eri were walking along, knowing the kids had probably embarked on some ridiculous adventure again. Chuckling together, they strolled through lightheartedly, jumping at the sight of whatever horror was in store for them, but ultimately laughing it off. As adults, they knew the tricks behind the place. Everything was fake, and all the moving items were just actors. If only their children knew that.

"Do you think Ran's okay?" asked Eri to Kogoro, a worried expression on her face. "She is quite vulnerable to this kind of thing. I remember just yesterday-"

"Don't worry, she has Shin-chan with her!" comforted Yukiko, winking at her though the other woman couldn't see it. "They'll be perfectly fine! Maybe they'll even learn a lesson from this!"

"I'm worried _because _Shinichi-kun's with her!" returned Eri. "The boy is always getting into some sort of trouble and I wouldn't be surprised if they get lost or something of the sort! Oh dear, we should have followed them."

Ran had curled up into a ball in the dry box, feeling the grains of the wood as she rubbed her fingers back and forth across it to relieve her of some part of the boredom and fright. Even though there were no ghosts there, she was trapped in a cage, and she couldn't hear anything from the outside. Luckily for her, there were small gaps preventing asphyxiation, but none large enough see through.

_I wonder if anyone's realized I'm gone…. I bet I'll die in here. This is bad. Why didn't I just follow Shinichi?_ Another tear dripped down from her eye, falling onto her dress. _Where are you, Shinichi?_

With the exit in sight, Shinichi figured out that Ran probably hadn't made it out. If she had, she'd probably come back to try to find him. And if that was the case, she was still behind him somewhere. Mind whirring, he tried to remember if he had heard her footsteps anywhere, the light little _tap!_s that would signal her presence. _I'll just retrace my steps! Maybe she went backwards!_

Through a small crowd of people, he pushed through legs and shadows, slowly making his way back. He held his breath while passing the scariest features, keeping from crying out at the sight of decapitated bodies, waking vampires, and flying ghosts. Closing his eyes, he realized that he wasn't scared. He couldn't see, but at least it was dark in the first place. The only light was to make the exhibits visible, and to lead guests through the house. As long as he opened his eyes every once in a while, he was sure to find Ran.

The adults had made it to the exit, and were quite worried to see neither of the kids had made it out. After a quick scanning of the outside, Eri said, "You don't think they got themselves lost for real, do you?"

"My Shin-chan's smarter than that!" countered Yukiko, but even her voice had gained a mother hen feeling. "He'll get her out safe and sound! Besides, there's nothing truly harmful in there! They even have lights leading out here! It's impossible to get lost!"

Ran heard footsteps approaching, and the faint whisper of the word 'Ran' through the thick wood. It was familiar, the voice of a little boy, high-pitched and almost desperate, laced with determination. It was Shinichi! With newfound strength, she started pounding on the box, yelling "Shinichi!"

"Ran!" he replied, looking around frantically for noise, wishing he hadn't dropped his flashlight. But if he remembered correctly, he had lost it while running away. And that meant it was right near him. By squinting, he located a tiny beam of light a small distance off, and grabbing it, he yelled again, "Ran!"

"Shinichi!" This time it clearly emanated from his right, and turning around, the brightness lit up a large wooden crate. Ran had to be in there! "Shinichi!"

"Ran, I'm coming!" he cried as he charged forwards and instantly started trying to pry off the lid, but to no avail. He wasn't strong enough. But, maybe with their combined strengths they could do something? "Ran!"

"Shinichi! It's you!" she answered, sounding relieved. "I'm in this crate. Help me get out! I can't lift the lid!"

"Neither can I." He pondered a plan for a moment, and then instantly said, "Lean against the side of the box with all the force you can manage. I'm going to try to push it over! That way, it'll be easier for the lid to come off! Ready?"

"I'm ready," agreed Ran, preparing to ram into the wall. "On the count of three."

"One, two, three!" With a satisfying _crack_ against the hard ground, Ran burst out of her cage. She hugged Shinichi, crying into his chest, letting the warm tears spill.

"S-Shinichi," she sobbed, words broken. "I was so scared in there! Thanks for rescuing me!" With that, she gave him a small kiss on the cheek, making him blush ferociously. He was so glad that Ran couldn't see it in the darkness, and even gladder that his mom wasn't here to tease him. She'd never let him hear the end of it.

"Just think of it of one of my birthday presents," he chuckled, happy that the ordeal was finally over. "Let's find an exit, okay?"

"Mm!" she replied, nodding. "I don't ever want to go to a haunted house ever again! We're going to go somewhere else for my next birthday!"

"And one more present before we get outside." Shinichi paused, and then leaned forward to kiss Ran on the forehead, returning her gift. "Happy birthday, Ran."

*Please review! Hope you liked it! Next theme: Hide and Seek!*


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